Naveen Patnaik requests Centre for direct flight from Bhubaneswar to Dubai

Bhubaneswar: To meet the growing demand for international travel, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday urged the Centre to start direct flight between Bhubaneswar and Dubai.

Patnaik made the request in a letter to Minister of State for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri.

"In the absence of direct flights from the state to other international destinations like Dubai and middle-east countries, the passengers face immense difficulty to go to the desired destination. It can be addressed if air connectivity is established between Bhubaneswar and Dubai," Patnaik said.

Although Air India has international flights from Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar to the Middle East via New Delhi, it is a costlier and time-consuming option.

"As there is sufficient passenger load, a direct flight is felt necessary. I would request you to impress upon Air India or any other Airlines to introduce direct international flight between Bhubaneswar and Dubai to meet the growing demand for international travel," the letter said.